ORGANISERS of York’s JORVIK Viking Festival have unveiled next year’s programme and say it will the biggest and best yet. The festival marks its 30th anniversary in 2014 and its director said the landmark would be reached in style with “something
HARRY Gration has received his MBE from the Prince of Wales in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The Look North presenter, who has lived in York almost all his life, said receiving the award had been an emotional experience. He said he was impressed
After much excitement during the filming, York has had a long wait to see Death Comes To Pemberley. JULIAN COLE talks to some of the stars of the period drama beginning on BBC1 on Boxing Day. FOR ten days or so in the hot gone days of July, St
Nearly a decade ago, Ron Burgundy was released on an unsuspecting public. Possibly the world’s worst local news TV presenter, he wasn’t an immediate hit, but word spread with the movie and the character becoming a cult favourite. To its credit,
Jazz North is a consortium founded to support jazz across the North West, Yorkshire and the North East. Funded by Arts Council England, it has development money to invest in tours, recordings and events such as the How To Get More Gigs seminar
ARE you looking for a late Christmas present that will last all next year? If so, York illustrator Linda Combi has just produced a fabulous 2014 calendar for York, very different from the usual run-of-the-mill monthly fare. “I’ve been working
LOVABLE Londoners Chas & Dave back up October’s release of their first original studio material in 27 years with a 2014 tour that will take in Leeds Grand Theatre on Sunday, April 13. Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock, pictured, marked their 50th
YORK Opera will celebrate the festive season with Realms Of Glory, a programme of English Christmas music spanning more than four centuries from Byrd to Benjamin Britten, at the National Centre for Early Music, York, tomorrow night. In a tribute
AS indicated by the image of Martin Barrass in Mr Toad mode on the brochure cover for the 2014 programme at York Theatre Royal, the perennial pantomime comic stooge is to reprise his dandily dressed amphibian role from 2010. Mike Kenny’s stage
RUGBY league in the Minster city is set for an all-round boost after York City Knights and neighbouring amateur clubs agreed to end old divisions and work together. A new agreement will see improved links between the clubs, with stronger player
SHE only took up cycling a few months ago – but is already eyeing a spot at Rio 2016. Nicola Cundall is being earmarked for a Team GB berth in the Paralympics having quickly showed enormous pedigree in handcycling – where machines are powered by
WHERE is David Leonard, former hip-swivelling pantomime villain of this parish, strutting his slinky stuff this festive season? The erstwhile York Theatre Royal regular rogue has acquired a pencil-slim moustache to play suave hot-shot lawyer Billy
Wrapping: Kim still looks super-fabulous, in an untarnished Nigella delicious way. Style: Songs are mostly very upbeat, possessing a quality of joy, fun and warmth. You suspect the Wilde family Christmas is a happy one. Content: Eighties compadres
Wrapping: Former Queen of Urban R&B completes the make-over to establishment diva on this egg-nog Christmas speciality, wrapped in the most luscious white fur collection. Content: All the old favourite Christmas ballads have been given a polished
AS last year, York has served up to two overlapping interpretations of the Dickens Christmas chestnut, one from Nightshade Productions, and then this one, The Flanagan Collective’s party piece. The one with the two-course meal, the sing-along Christmas
WAYWARD PRINCE is likely to return to his beloved Wetherby Racecourse for the £40,000 William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase on Boxing Day. Hilary Parrott’s charge has made the frame in all four of his visits to the track and secured his biggest
Wrapping: Nick and assorted possible friends/family, plus girl in Santa suit, plus big dog. Style: The usual Nick Lowe exemplars of good taste, with festive songs touched by country, rock and jazz. Content: Twelve songs, some classics of the
Wrapping: Black and white Kate in bejewelled dress with titles in red and white festive trim. Style: Traditional Christmas carols and songs, but not as you know them. These are Kate’s folk and brass variations on South Yorkshire versions from Christmas
Wrapping: A Sixties-style collage of the girl herself overdoing the facial expressions; sleevenotes that remind you what the lyrics to Winter Wonderland are. Style: After going dubstep on 2012’s brave but badly received Glassheart, Leona’s back
Wrapping: Vince and Andy, in cartoon caricature, are pictured - predictably - inside a snow globe. Style: The electronic fare we have come to expect over the last three decades. Content: Thirteen festive-themed tracks, including a reverential Silent
Wrapping: Richard the red nose frosty beard meets a polar bear. Style: … er, Christmas Guitars. Think Steve Hackett meets Julian Bream. Content: Eighteen mainly original songs, all beautifully played by one of the UK’s leading concert guitarists
FORMER York City Knights skipper and current York Acorn ARLC boss Scott Rhodes reckons new bridges between the two clubs have long been needed. The Knights have agreed a memorandum of understanding with Acorn – as well as other amateur clubs in
Wrapping: Collage collision of Christmas tree needles, baubles and cumulonimbus cloud of more hand-painted baubles, beneath gaudy alternate red and green lettering. Style: Never knowingly understated, Dallas symphonic pop choir bid to outdo Greg
Wrapping: Stylish 1950s graphic baubles on sleeve and six-page booklet with photos, full details of songs, musicians and backing singers. Style: Fabulous 1950s, HiLos-style, jazzy vocal harmonies Content: Nine mainly traditional songs, plus three
York Acorn ARLC’s Ash Robson has signed a two-year academy deal with Castleford. The teenage full-back, who stars for Acorn under-18s and has already become a regular in the first team, was previously with Leeds Rhinos’ youth but left Headingley
Wrapping: Standard photo of re-grouped Irish quartet dressed in black (hardly festive) but surely to help them make look thinner. Moody solo shots too accompanying sentimental notes from each. Style: Mush for grown-ups. More pap than Papiss Papapadopolous
EAST Yorkshire racing driver Guy Smith hailed an “incredible” outing having finished fourth on his debut at the two-stage Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi, writes Toby Latham. A former American Le Mans series and Le Mans 24-hour race champion, Smith
Wrapping: Classy white cover with a pair of authentic (albeit Freudian) medieval instruments in the shape of a heart. Small headshots of the Baebes on the back. Style: Choral, orchestral, Mediaeval. Content: A collection of carols and hymns
Wrapping: Studio-posed portrait of Boyle, wrapped up in neutral-toned knitwear and white fur trim, contrasting bizarrely with un-Christmassy choice of black nail polish. Sleeve notes have all the words for anyone who fancies doing a duet. Style
BROOKLYN reserves booked their place in the semi-finals of the Scarborough & District FA Junior Cup with a 3-0 victory over United Sports Bar in the last eight. Tom Campbell scored a goal in each half for the York Minster Engineering Football
FOR years John Lewis stuck to its southern heartlands, fearing a venture north might lead to corporate impecunity. Admittedly, Harrogate has a long standing Waitrose, but the penny only dropped that it was not the only wealthy town in North Yorkshire
SOME lessons are never learned, however obvious they may be and once again the North Yorkshire Police Christmas drink-drive campaign is serving up a familiarly depressing message. So far, more than 60 people have been arrested for driving while
A good deal has been written in The Press about the work being carried out in King’s Square and there seems to be almost universal agreement that the result has been hugely disappointing. Given the historical significance and character of the square
THE personalisation in local politics from the council’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition highlights parties bereft of ideas. Politics should be about ideas and ideals, not personalities and name calling. I take the responsibility of
THE past few months have seen a stand-off between Anne McIntosh MP and the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association. What has to date been a war of words has now led to Conservative Party headquarters ordering a postal ballot of all members to
SHE’S the ring warrior opponents can’t land a glove on – barely a year after turning to boxing teenager Courtney Catterson is a national champion. The 17-year-old enjoyed a clear points victory over Shannon Naylor at the Brentwood Sports Centre
FORMER world champion Billy Jackson was the winner when New Earswick Indoor Bowls Club hosted an international class World Bowls Tour event. Jackson, from Lincoln IBC, beat Chris Gale, of Blackpool Newton Hall, in the final at the end of a high-quality
York Indoor Bowls Club ‘A’ produced one of the greatest comebacks in their history to beat North Cave in division one of the Yorkshire Over-55s League. Trailing by 22 shots after the away teams lost at North Cave, the home teams scored 80 shots
IT IS good to see The Press of December 17 informing people about an outbreak of novovirus. I hope people take, and that the hospital took, the necessary measures to protect us all. People should also be aware that hold ups are bound to happen.
YORK Indoor Bowls Club remain on track for the North East Ladies League title as they beat Hornsea 78-71, winning three rinks and picking up eight points. At home, Irene Paylor’s team got off to a good start, leading 13-1 after six ends. However
WHAT a shame that we appear to have lost a great majority of birds from our gardens. Usually in late August and winter many fly to warmer climes, but where are the blackbirds, tits, starlings and sparrows? Our bird tables are always laden with
WE would like to thank everyone who attended our coffee morning on Thursday, November 21, in aid of Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The total raised on that day was £974.84. However, together with many donations and other activities, the final amount
BEFORE my correspondences with Mr T Scaife (Letters, December 13) concludes, one concept of economics stays constant: nobody – individuals, families, TUC’s or government – should spend money unless it has been earned. Doing otherwise debts accrue.
YORK’S Dave Stroughair had a day to remember in national competitions. He won his Champion of Champions Singles area play-off final against Thornaby’s Paul Mosley at Scarborough IBC on Sunday morning. The Thanet Road bowler then raced to Featherstone
THE memorial service in South Africa for Nelson Mandela, staged in a modern-day version of a Kraal, reminded me of the film Zulu Dawn, which alongside the epic Zulu, gave rise to the beginning if not the end of colonial rule. With tributes paid
MY wife and I moved into a one-bedroom bungalow (one of four) in New Earswick. The other three had large bins but ours was only a small one. I asked the council for a large bin, but was refused on the grounds that large bins were only supplied
DAVID CAMERON’S pals with the most will be pleased. They might give him a hefty Christmas present from their extra booty. Those with the least, he took it from, have nothing to thank him for, except the highest energy prices in the western
FRONTLINE council services are under a fresh threat of cuts as bosses grapple with a major reduction in Government grant. City of York Council’s chief executive Kersten England said she expected the authority’s grant to be reduced by 9.7 per cent
SO THE programme has been announced for next year’s Residents’ Festival programme announced (The Press, December 16). Will York residents have free access to Lendal Bridge that weekend? Just thought I would ask. Peter Newton, Montague Street, York
I SUGGEST that all York residents who are entitled to do so should vote at the next council and general elections. In this way we may then get a council and government to represent us all and not one that has been voted in by about 20 to 25 per
I HAD to check the calendar to see it wasn’t April Fool’s day when I read the latest Labour proposal that certain councils should be given powers to take housing land from neighbouring authorities. This is a frightening scenario. Have they never
WHICHEVER decisions are made about the generation of electricity, the price to all consumers will continue to rise. The UK commitment to reducing the use of carbon fuels means that the generators using these fuels, especially coal, will have to
100 years ago Magnifying lenses operated by the driver were the latest development in motor car headlight construction. They had the effect of lessening the glare which was so trying to other road users at night. The new invention was called
BACK BURNER, who made a promising British debut at Wolverhampton last week for North Yorkshire trainer David O’Meara, can fulfil that promise at Southwell this afternoon. The ex-Irish gelding contests the Coral Mobile Handicap with Sam James, a
CHRISTMAS lurks unavoidably over the horizon. At home the decorations are up. The other day I stood still for a moment too long and found myself wreathed in tinsel. I moved just before a bauble could be dangled from my ear. My wife and home-from-uni
York’s Dial & Ride bus service is a great way for elderly and disabled people to get around York – offering door-to-door transport at reasonable rates. And yet many people still don’t seem to know about it. STEPHEN LEWIS joined passengers for a
STAFF at the National Railway Museum cooked a Christmas dinner with a difference. A full Christmas feast, including a turkey, stuffing, roast vegetables and gravy, was cooked in the firebox of Teddy – the green locomotive used to haul Santa’s Steam
POLICE in York are urging a wanted man to hand himself in as they appeal for the public’s help to find him. Steven Thompson, 48, is wanted for failing to appear at York Magistrates’ Court on Monday 2 December, charged with assault. The appearance
THE glamour of Hollywood’s golden age has been brought to York with the opening of a new tearoom. The Hollie Wood, in High Petergate, is the venture of Andrew Simpson who has created the business out of his passion for film memorabilia and baking
High-ranking police officers have taken to the streets of York as part of a community safety operation. Operation Discount ran throughout the city yesterday as York prepares for a flood of shoppers in the final run-up to Christmas. Assistant
MORE than 60 people have been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving since the launch of North Yorkshire’s annual Christmas safety campaign. Up to 28 of the 61 people arrested have been charged with drink or drug driving or failure to provide a
NEW housing proposed for the former Terry’s factory site in York has received top marks from a leading design organisation – as councillors prepare to decide today on a planning application. David Wilson Homes’ scheme for The Chocolate Works site
GALTRES Festival favourites John Otway and Chris Helme have signed up for next year’s tenth birthday celebrations. Otway, who played to a jam-packed big top in 2011, promises an hour of madcap musical mayhem at the end of next summer’s Galtres
The jury in the Full Sutton murder trial will today start their third full day in retirement. They have yet to deliver their verdicts on Graham Richardson, 27, of Riverside View, Norton, who is charged with murdering Peter Battle, 56, in his cottage
A COLLAPSED chimney sent rubble smashing through a skylight and forced the closure of a main road in Selby town centre. Brook Street – part of the old A19 through the town – was shut on Tuesday evening amid safety fears, and it remained closed
STUDENTS from Tadcaster Grammar School received prizes and certificates for academic achievement and excellence at a ceremony at the school. Puoils were presented with their GCSE, AS Level and A Level certificates and there were prizes at GCSE
RESIDENTS have been urged to look out for a green Nissan Terrano which has been seen in suspicious circumstances on farmland in Kelfield, near Selby. A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the registration of the vehicle was believed to be LO2
THE managing director of national department store chain John Lewis has described York as “the glue that sticks together an affluent catchment area”. Andy Street was speaking yesterday at the Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce
AN EAST Yorkshire Primary school is celebrating its report from Ofsted. Boynton Primary school, near Bridlington, was judged good overall with pupils’ behaviour outstanding. The teaching was described as good with some outstanding, the subject
THE water watchdog is urging everyone to make sure their festive cooking does not become a pain in the drain this Christmas by avoiding pouring fat and grease down the sink or loo. The Consumer Council for Water says about three quarters of the
A MOTHER-OF-TWO from York has died in Spain after losing a six-month battle against cancer. Sky Ferrey, a former PA to the editor of The Press, lived in Bilbrough and then Bishopthorpe before retiring to Malaga several years ago. She was diagnosed
A NEW campaign to help raise awareness of domestic abuse and offer help to victims has been launched in York. Incidents of domestic violence rise by about ten per cent over the Christmas period, according to research from the Safer York Partnership
A LEADING figure at one of York’s universities is retiring after more than 40 years in higher education. Professor David Maughan Brown, 68, is retiring this week as the Deputy Vice Chancellor of York St John University which he joined in 2002 as
